The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), digital surveillance, and business intelligence has transformed the ways in which governments and commercial organisations collect, process, and utilise personal data. While these technologies have generated significant benefits in public administration and commercial decision-making, they have also intensified concerns regarding privacy, data protection, and regulatory accountability. This paper undertakes a doctrinal comparative analysis of the legal frameworks governing privacy, government surveillance, and business intelligence in the Netherlands and Belgium. It examines the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, relevant jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights, and key decisions of the Dutch and Belgian Data Protection Authorities. The analysis demonstrates that, despite operating within a common European legal framework, the two jurisdictions have adopted distinct regulatory approaches. While the Netherlands has pursued a more interventionist enforcement strategy, Belgium has placed greater emphasis on organisational accountability and regulatory compliance. The study concludes that effective governance of AI-enabled surveillance and commercial data processing requires not only robust legal safeguards but also consistent regulatory oversight capable of adapting to emerging technological challenges.
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- Audrius Razma (Author), 2026, Privacy, Government Surveillance, and Business Intelligence. A Comparative Legal Study of the Netherlands and Belgium, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1745923
